


Ghost Stories

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Adult Fear, Canon Compliant, Fluff and Angst, Ghost Stories, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Past Child Neglect, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Weird Fluff, Worldbuilding, regarding Voe’s background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25501123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Ben learns something about Yavin — and about Poe.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: The Darkpilot Library





	Ghost Stories

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

”Well, it’s stormy and awful out there,” Hennix said. “Might as well make the most of it.”

Ben was seated next to Poe, Voe next to Tai and Hennix, the other students with them. Ben wasn’t scared of storms, not when there were worse things to be scared of. For example, the contents of his head. It was funny, how when you were a kid you were scared of the monsters with red eyes and sharp teeth, and as you got older, you realized that the red-eyed monsters were the least of your worries. 

Not that they weren’t still creepy-looking, but still...

”So, what do you want to do?” Ben said. “I mean, we could always just...”

Voe raised an eyebrow. “Considering how bad it’s storming out, I don’t think I want to go to sleep.” A beat. “Besides, it’s nearly Festival of the Dead, spoilsport.”

Ben sighed. Of course Voe would remind him of that. “Touché.” Then, “So we could watch terrible holos...”

”So long as it doesn’t involve the-anus-doesn’t-go-there, I’m good,” Poe piped up. 

Voe gave Poe an incredulous look. “Do I want to know?”

”You don’t,” Ben said. For some reason, some moof-milker thought it was a good idea to play a holo about a complete sadist who kidnapped people to just...make the term ass-to-mouth have a new meaning. At one Festival of the Dead party, but still. Poe was usually pretty good about these things, but he had said definitively that he’d never watch that “waste of celluloid” again. 

Ben couldn’t say he blamed Poe. (And maybe he wanted to send the makers of the holo a strongly worded missive questioning their lack of good taste)

”Okay,” Voe said, “I’ll take your word for it.” A beat. “We could tell ghost stories. Not like the Force Ghosts, but...”

”Voe, you really are going all out, aren’t you?” Tai said lightly. 

Voe sighed. “What can I say? You’ve lived through some more...mundane horrors, ghosts just seem kind of adorable.”

Ben’s heart unexpectedly ached for her. He could remember her first coming to the Academy after Uncle Luke had gotten her out of an abusive foster home on Telos. He’d seen flashes of it in Uncle Luke’s mind, in Voe’s nightmares — the shameful neglect of the apartment, the mold there, and were bugs supposed to be there? It didn’t help that Voe’s guardians were the last people you’d want with a kid. They’d never molested her or hit her, but they were unpredictable. 

It did explain Voe’s jealousy and perfectionistic streak, and the shame she felt over her less than Jedi-like emotions. It was like she was trying to outrun the past. 

”I know what you mean,” Ben said. 

Voe snorted. “You’ve had it pretty good, Solo. What do you have to worry about?”

 _A lot_ , Ben thought. The nightmares. The feelings of being unimportant. Unworthy. Not the same as Voe (at least his home had by and large felt safe before he’d been sent away, and even the Academy was a safe haven), but he knew what it was like to have horrors in your head that made the monsters of childhood seem tame in comparison. 

At least with ghost stories, you had some control. 

***

It was Poe who went first. “I’m from Yavin,” he said, “And people know it for two things: one, the fact that the First Death Star was destroyed there. In the nick of time, too. And second, we have a Temple there. A Sith Temple, to be more precise.” A beat. “I’ve heard I was delivered on top of there, but I’m taking that rumor with a grain of salt.”

”Well,” Hennix said. “That makes your mother even more awesome.”

Poe smiled if sadly. Then, “When I was fifteen, I’d had an argument with my dad. One of many. I’ll be damned if I know why I thought it was important.” He sighed. “But yeah, I ran away from the house, towards this strange structure. Apparently, it was Exar Kun’s temple. Some entitled schutta who was apprentice to a guy named Freedon Nadd.” A beat. “Damn, was that last name why Freedon turned to the Dark Side?”

”Well, to be fair,” Ben said, “There’s unusual names all over the galaxy.”

”There’s unusual, and then there’s naming your son after a dick joke.”

”It was just his last name,” Voe said. “Besides, most people don’t...think about that, I don’t think."

”True,” Ben said. “I mean, not many people think twice about the potential puns that can be made out of ‘Ben Solo’.” 

Poe sighed. “But yeah, I stumbled on that guy’s Temple. I remember like an idiot, I decided to investigate. I mean, important Yavin touchstone, right? But I got locked in. I remember having to call Uncle Lulo to come and get me. He read me the riot act over it. I don’t blame him. But I remember just hearing those noises in the dark and wondering what was going to jump out at me.”

”I remember that,” Ben said. That had been the first time that Ben had a feeling that his affection for Poe wasn’t just platonic. He’d had a feeling then that even though he had been twelve years old and a twelve year old couldn’t fight off a Sith ghost, he would have done anything to save Poe. 

Tai spoke up. “Well, we’re glad you’re alive,” he said. “For what it’s worth.”

***

Poe still seemed a bit shaken from telling his ghost story, so Ben excused himself and Poe both. Outside, he said, “Are you okay?”

Poe nodded. “It’s one of those things I kick myself for,” he said. “Getting in that fight. Getting locked in.”

”You were just a kid,” Ben said. “Stang, if we were all judged by stuff we argued with our parents about, we’d all be doomed, wouldn’t we?”

Poe nodded. Ben was glad — Poe deserved to feel better, to forgive himself. 

”Want to know a secret?” Ben said. “I have issues with my parents too. Because...” He paused. Even if it was to make Poe feel better, he didn’t want to seem like he was whining.

”What?” Poe said. 

”Sometimes I just feel like they threw me away like garbage,” Ben said. “And I can’t stop needing them. I just remember the fights they had about me controlling my powers. My ability to. Sometimes I wonder if they are right. If others are right about me.”

”They...” Poe paused. It was clear that he was trying to find a good answer. Then, “I know it’s hard, Ben. But you’re not alone. You never have been. And others are not right about you. You’re caring, kind, funny. You’re talented. Smart. And I wish others could see what I lo — like about you, as opposed to who they think you are or think you should be.”

Ben could believe that. More than believe that. There was something about it that washed over him, giving him a sense of safety and security he mostly felt around Poe. Tai made him feel grounded, Poe made him feel loved. 

Loved? Was that the right word for it? They were friends. But Ben knew, just knew, that he loved Poe to the point of being willing to fight every one of his monsters, just for him. 

”I wish other people could see you,” Ben said. “As I do.”

Poe’s smile — there was something reassuring about it. “Come on,” he said. “They’re waiting for us.”


End file.
